Maintaining Physical Health When Working From Home During The Great Lockdown

The Covid19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns have forced us to stay within the confines of our homes and venture out only for essential purchases and services. Work from home for those who still have jobs has become the new normal. Online classes for kids is the way Schools and Colleges are continuing delivery of education. All this has had a major impact on our physical health and wellbeing. With most of us homebound, there is no more walking up the stairs to your apartment, no more cycling to work every morning or walking to your office, or going to the gym for your daily workout.

However, getting some sort of exercise every day is not only important for maintaining a robust and physically healthy lifestyle but also has a great impact on your productivity at work. More than the constraints put by the lockdown, lack of motivation to exercise and keep fit is a major reason for an unhealthy lockdown lifestyle. Here are some tips to keep fit and come out robustly healthy post lockdown.

Schedule A Self-Care Time In Your Daily Routine: In an environment where there are no rules, you can work as much as you like without the confinement of a 9-5 work hour routine, it is easy to fall into a cycle of work, eat, sleep, repeat. However, you need to set aside some time for yourself. In your daily routine, schedule at least one hour for yourself, away from monitors and screens for you to focus on yourself. Take this time to exercise, savor a healthy meal, or meditate.

Eat Well! Sleep Well!: Our diet has a direct effect on our physical health which makes a balanced diet one of the most important keys to a healthy life. Eating things that are rich in all sorts of vitamins and proteins is essential for our immune system. Green vegetables, citrus fruits as well as eggs, milk, and poultry should be a regular part of our daily intake.

With no strict office timings since most of us are working from home, our daily routines are being negatively affected. This has resulted in a messed up sleeping schedule. Sleep deprivation can be harmful to our physical health. For a normal adult to function properly, 6-9 hours of sleep every night is of utmost significance. What is more astonishing is the fact that a sleep-deprived person is more prone to the virus than a well-rested one.

Exercise and Workout!: If you are working from home, it’s inevitable to get lazy. To remain active and healthy, you can start with some exercises at home.

While gyms around you might be closed, many health and fitness trainers have launched online training sessions that you can utilize to stay fit. You can also YouTube “workout sessions at home” to benefit from these free exercise resources. Apps like competitive step count games are also motivating. Exercises like yoga, Zumba, push-ups, or skipping the rope can also come in handy. Improvise! Maximize the use of all the available resources. Utilize space in your home to walk, run (if the size of your home allows), running up and down the stairs or anything to STAY ACTIVE!

The ongoing situation has been causing a lot of stress to all of us. Amid such distressing time, it is important that we do not forget to take care of ourselves or fall into an unhealthy pattern of a minimal movement lifestyle. Do not let this lockdown take a toll on your physical health. Remember: this too shall pass!